Argentina and Spain are getting ready to battle each other in for the Davis Cup title. Whether it's due to the visible excitement of the team spirit that the competition evokes or to past experiences of personal nature, the Davis Cup has always kept a special spot in my heart, as a fan, spectator, coach, and a past player. Therefore, I was enjoying reading different predictions for the title match, speculations on how much Rafael Nadal's absence would play a role on the encounter, etc.
Usually during my reading of Davis Cup competition, my mind starts drifting away to various thoughts involving the Davis Cup and the nature of the tie. Does one player really mean that much to a team? How about the long five-set matches in three days? What about the importance of the surface? This time around, probably because of Nadal's missing of this important tie, I seemed to get stuck in the first question more than usual.
I could not help but remember Bjorn Borg immediately. At the age of 19, he led his country, Sweden, to its first Davis Cup title, virtually single-handed. Sweden went on to win Davis Cup six more times since 1975, including one final against the USA that was built up to be a thriller, but thanks to the antics of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, turned out to be a walk in the park for the Swedes. But none was more enigmatic than Sweden's first march to the title in 1975, when a young Borg, breaking Bill Tilden's record 50-plus-year-old record of 18 straight singles matches victories, won three points for Sweden in each tie, carrying the rest of the team on his shoulders to the ultimate victory against Czechoslovakia.
Then I remembered how I watched, in person, John McEnroe dissect the French Davis Cup Team led by Yannick Noah and Henri Leconte in 1982, on red clay, in front of a hostile crowd in Grenoble, France. In the opening match, he beat Yannick Noah in a five-set thriller to deflate the crowd, then the next day in doubles, put on the finishing touch by beating the best two players that France had to offer on their best surface in doubles, teaming up with Peter Fleming. Let's be realistic about Fleming's role. Remember the famous answer to the question "Who is the best doubles tandem ever?” It was "McEnroe and anybody."
Ironically, McEnroe's performance against France that year is hardly mentioned nowadays because it is obscured by an even more amazing performance by him the same year in an earlier round of the Davis Cup. It happened when he led his team to a 3-2 victory against Sweden, winning his doubles match, and his two singles matches, including a record-setting six hours and 22 minutes long match against Mats Wilander.
Then I remembered, Boris Becker, who in 1988 and 1989 helped Germany capture its first two Davis Cup titles with little-to-no help from his teammates. Like McEnroe and Borg in the earlier examples, he participated in both singles and doubles, collecting the usual three points in each tie, with the exception of only one time in two years.
My thoughts came back to today, back to the articles that I was reading. With all due respect to Rafael Nadal, clearly the best player in the world in 2008, he does not mean to his team as much as Borg did to his Swedish team in 1975, McEnroe to his team in 1982, or Becker to the German team in 1988 and '89.
Last, but not the least, I thought about Roger Federer's decision to play in the Davis Cup for Switzerland in 2009. He would have to win all three of his matches for his country to defeat the Americans. And if Switzerland wants to even start dreaming about the Davis Cup title, he would have to continue winning three matches per tie, à la McEnroe, Borg, and Becker. But let's limit the discussion to this tie against USA. Without Federer, Switzerland would not stand a chance against USA. With him, they have a legitimate chance to win two singles matches, and add a doubles victory thanks to Federer and Stanislas Wavrinka, the reigning gold-metal Olympic team.
Federer has done it to the Americans once before, without any help in the form of another top-20 player like Wawrinka and prior to becoming the great player of today. Let's turn the clock back about seven years and look at the last time Switzerland played the USA in the Davis Cup. Lo and behold, a 19-years-old Roger Federer, at this point never having gone past the fourth round in any slams, led the Swiss team to a 3-2 upset victory against the USA team, making Patrick McEnroe's first experience as the Davis Cup captain, a very bitter pill to swallow.
After all this talk, I am ready for next weekend's promising final between Argentina and Spain, even without Nadal. Equally, I am looking forward to the first rounds of next year already, especially the USA vs. Switzerland match. The Davis Cup's spirited atmosphere — there is no competition like it!
November 18, 2008
Luke Broadbent:
Oh baby, you can’t beat the Davis Cup. There aren’t many sporting events that can compete with the atmosphere of the Davis Cup.
Great article Mert, highlighting some Davis Cup efforts a little before my time,
I fancy Argentina to claim the title this year. Perhaps if Spain had chosen Carlos Moya as the replacement for Nadal then I may fancy Spain. Moya is an efficient performer, and I reckon despite the fact he won a Grand Slam many years ago he often plays tennis that one could consider his best ever. However, more importantly he has been there and won the Davis Cup before, giving him vital experience that the Spanish team appears to be lacking.
November 19, 2008
Umit Oraloglu:
Great article Mert. What Borg, McEnroe and Becker did for their countries was also way before my time, however its a shame what they did isnt mentioned frequently by tennis commentators, journalists etc…
If Rafa or Federer do what Borg, Mac & Becker did for their countries, then I will put these two players in the category as being legends of the game.
Its one thing playing for yourself and winning slams, however its another when your carrying the whole weight of a nation on your shoulders.
Once again thanks for article and keep up the good work.
November 19, 2008
Yekta Aslan:
Another great article from Mert
November 19, 2008
Mert Ertunga:
Luke I agree with you about Moya completely.
Umit, you mean you don’t have Federer in the same category as Borg and McEnroe yet? :)
Yekta, thanks buddy!
Mert
November 20, 2008
Omer Avci:
Patron, thanks for the great article…
November 20, 2008
Luke Broadbent:
This seems like a good place to ask you Mert.
Since you have played and coached in the Davis Cup I would like to know your opinion on where it ranks in comparison to the other tournaments.
I personally think that the Davis Cup is THE tennis competition. Everyone I say this to says that it is Wimbledon. Now, I have attending both as a spectator and hile to atmosphere at Wimbledon is impressive, I don’t think you can compete with the Davis Cup.
People like to think that in singles competitions that the payers are representing their countries, but in reality I am sure that they represent themselves. However, that changes in the Davis Cup, your country’s pride is on the line.
Sorry if all of that was a bit long-winded but I would love to hear the opinion of a tennis player on this subject.
November 22, 2008
Mert Ertunga:
Thanks General Manager Omer..
Luke,
Without a doubt I agree with you. On a personal level, I won nationals, and it was such an exhilirating experience, I thought it was the best moment of my career…
That is… Until I experienced winning the fifth and decisive match in Davis Cup for my country (a 5-setter).
To this day, that i the second best day of my life, first being the day my daughter was born.
There is no feeling like it, that moment is still very vivid, the crowd roaring, and the celebrations that ensued… Beats celebrating any personal victory..
I did not play my best in that match, because I felt the heaviness of representing such a larger scope, the pressure got to me, but when I did finally pull it off it was worth every misery that the pressure built up until that point.
I will finish with a reference to Marat Safin, and what he said about the moment they won their Davis Cup tie against France to win the trophy few years back:
The question was “What did you feel at that moment”
His answer: “Better than an orgasm”
Mert E.
December 16, 2008
Umit Oraloglu:
Mert,
You asked me, if I don’t have Federer in the same category as Borg and McEnroe yet??
Yes, I dont have Fed in the same category because like I said, until he wins the Davis Cup for Switzerland, I wont consider him a legend of the game.
Even you said it yourself in regards to your reply to Luke, the heaviness of representing your own conutry creates pressure like you have never seen or felt before.
Like Luke said, your country’s pride is on the line and that to me is when you have to come up with the goods, if you want to be remembered as an all time great.